Monday La Jolla report. STRONG current
 

After seeing and hearing of the weekend bite, we headed out Monday. It took some time to get bait, and after starting smooth, it got pretty choppy.

The bite shut down big time on Monday, with no YT caught by anyone we saw. Saw a couple boils, but no biters.

Message to those going out soon is to watch the current. We ended up going south way too easily, and when time to head in, it was WORK to paddle / peddle back north. That is a strong south current happening right now.

Note #2: I was talking at work with a couple guys and topic turned to how we each had rescued someone from a kayak off La Jolla. Some folks don't know how to get back on a kayak if flipped, so really good to know that before heading out.

My two cents.... yellowtail fever is great, but knowing limits is smart as well. :cheers1:

Thanks for the report :cheers1: . Definitely good advice!

Monday LJ
 

I was there and the current and wind got really strong. I had thought after making bait I would head South along the kelp edge and head back north before the wind was too bad. That was a mistake because before I know it I was down by the border to the South La Jolla State Reserve and went to a little deeper water before heading back. It was a washing machine out there and the wind kept picking up and the current was also going somewhat south. It made the return a huge pain. I did not get to the launch till 4:15 pm, had launched at 6:20 am. Spent almost 6 hours pedaling against the wind and current. Every time I stopped to change the bait, grab another beer or bring in one of the two Yellows I got yesterday, I would drift back what took me 15-20 minutes to cover while trolling and going into the wind. The GPS showed a normal pedal was only gaining me between .5 to 1.3 knots, on flat water that's about 3 knots. Both Yellows were smaller, the first was the best fight but when I had it close to the Kayak I had the gaft ready but I could see it was under 22 lbs so I decided to release it. I estimated it to be about 18 lbs the second was caught closer to the cove and was a rat about 8 lbs, just added a picture front the front mounted Go Pro of the rat. Both got a picture and a kiss to grow bigger on. It was fun to pull on a Yellow and hear the clicker scream and the drag sing again after 5 weeks, bait and rock fish just aren't enough to get the juices going.

Good advice! However, how I see it is practicing how to re-enter the kayak in a pool or a bay is different than when the current is ripping. The only way to learn is to intentionally jump out and practice in a ripping ocean.

Do you try to flip the kayak (assuming it flipped over) against the current or with the current?

I've never practiced, but I've watched some videos and set up the kayak with a rope on one of the grab rails on the PA. Thinking is that I'll throw the rope over and right the ship with the help of the rope. I've also added a step ladder contraption to the back of the PA so I can re-enter by the bait tank.

I also saw recently that Kevin Nakada dove in after he dropped his cell phone and re-entered from the front hatch.

So my question is how do you really practice in real world conditions?

Nice screenshot! Are you on a Revo 13? How are you attaching the catch bag?

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using Tapatalk

Yeah it's 2016 Revo 13, I installed 6 plastic hooks to meet the D rings on the bag and also next to the middle hook on each side I installed an eyelet so I can use a small locking carabiner on each side to make sure the bag can't come off even in a roll over. Because you know those never happen, right.

It would have probably been easyer......
 

Saturday, when I was close to PB....
To put my sail up and head in to mission bay....
If anybody wants to do that....pm....me next time there's a north wind<-------)

When I got my PA14, one of the first things I did was see how difficult it would be to get back in. One of the mistakes people make is going out on a nice day in their swim trunks and trying it out. I was in full fishing gear with fishing PFD on (you dont realize how bulky and in the way a PFD can be until you are trying to re-enter a kayak - it wants to catch on everything). By far the easiest, and for me the only way to get back in is either over the bow, or over the transom - if you dont have a bait tank, even easier. Having a rope loop tied to the rear grab bar that you can use as a stirrup to lift yourself up makes it a piece of cake - especially with a bait tank in place.

Now the Solo skiff with its long stiletto pointed bow makes it easy to slide right under you, then work your way back to the hatch and just sit up straddling the bow. then inch your way back to the cockpit. Had to figure that one out in real time down in Gonzaga...

So any risk of that solo getting away from you?

Not away from me - I have a paddle leash connected to the kill switch, and clipped to my pfd, which I always wear. Allows me to freely move around, yet kill the motor if I take an unscheduled swim.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

That current from the NW is typically the best condition for the fish to bite. But like people are finding, it can be exhausting. And hooking and fighting a fish can lose you a 1/4 mile or more.

I've found it to be better to do a series of shorter drifts south and paddles north rather than one long down and back. You expend your energy with rest periods in between.

If you find your self down south and working hard n barely moving you might want to just end your fishing day. Pull in all lines, drain the bait tank, and paddle NE toward shore.
Usually the current is less closer to shore and the bluffs can mitigate some of the wind.

Practicing self rescue and actually self rescuing out at sea are indeed different. But the reentry techniques will be the same. Practicing can only help you. Knowing what to do will give you some thing to focus on rather than just "oh shit, what now"?

Knowing the techniques to right and reenter a kayak can let you help others. You can't do it for them. Often if you try to come along side to help stabilize their yak you're going to get dumped too. There are complicated aided rescue techniques used in SIS sea kayaking, but both yakkers have to know them and practiced them. I've found the best thing to do is take as much of their gear on to your kayak as possible, then talk them thru it. Just being near and knowing what to do is a big confidence boost for the guy in the water.


Always carry a hand bilge pump. Over the years ive pumped out 3 yaks, including my own. Mike

Thank you for the the advice/tips.

Pump out option
 

Anyone ever used their battery and bait pump to bail out? mine has the 1" tube and i could easily pop off and put through a hatch to pump out instead of extra pump gear...

I've done it three times.

A little inconvient, but it works great.

Some have installed a dedicated "bilge" pump.

The sweet thing about the hand pump is the batteries never go dead;)

Great advice about self rescue with a PFD on. I rolled soon after I started yak fishing. I couldn't get back into my yak even though I had watched lots of vids on re-entry. None of them mentioned that a PFD will hang up on the edge of the yak. King Saba had to stabilise my yak so I could re-enter.